Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Phil Berger Jr.
2021 - Present
2029
4
Phil Berger Jr. (Republican Party) is a judge of the North Carolina Supreme Court. He assumed office on January 1, 2021. His current term ends on January 1, 2029.
Berger (Republican Party) ran for election for judge of the North Carolina Supreme Court. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
To read more about judicial selection in North Carolina, click here.
Biography
Phil Berger Jr. was born in Danville, Virginia. Berger graduated from Morehead High School in 1990. He received a B.A. in history from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 1994 and a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1999.[1]
Berger worked as an administrative law judge with the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings in 2016 and co-founded the Berger Law Firm. He was elected to be the district attorney for Rockingham County, North Carolina in 2007 and re-elected in 2010. He served as a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals from 2017 to 2021. Berger was also a 2014 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 6th Congressional District of North Carolina.[2] He was defeated by Mark Walker in the runoff primary election on July 15, 2014.[3][4]
Elections
2020
See also: North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2020
General election
General election for North Carolina Supreme Court
Phil Berger Jr. defeated Lucy N. Inman in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Phil Berger Jr. (R) | 50.7 | 2,723,704 |
 | Lucy N. Inman (D) | 49.3 | 2,652,187 | |
| Total votes: 5,375,891 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Lucy N. Inman advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Phil Berger Jr. advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.
2016
- See also: North Carolina judicial elections, 2016
Berger filed to run for a seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals against incumbent judge Linda Stephens.[5] He faced Stephens in the November general election.
Election results
November 8 general election
| North Carolina Court of Appeals, Stephens seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Phil Berger Jr. |
50.25% | 2,233,730 |
| Linda Stephens Incumbent | 49.75% | 2,211,631 |
| Total Votes (2,704 of 2,704: 100%) | 4,445,361 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections Official Results | ||
2014
Berger ran in the 2014 election for the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 6th District. No candidate secured more than 50 percent of the vote in the May 6, 2014, primary election. A runoff primary election was held between the top two candidates.[3] Berger lost to Mark Walker in the runoff primary on July 15, 2014.
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Phil Berger, Jr. |
34.3% | 15,127 | ||
| Mark Walker |
25.2% | 11,123 | ||
| Bruce VonCannon | 11.5% | 5,055 | ||
| Zack Matheny | 11.4% | 5,043 | ||
| Jeff Phillips | 7.9% | 3,494 | ||
| Don Webb | 4.3% | 1,899 | ||
| Mike Causey | 3.2% | 1,427 | ||
| Kenn Kopf | 1.2% | 510 | ||
| Charlie Sutherland | 1% | 458 | ||
| Total Votes | 44,136 | |||
| Source: Results via the North Carolina State Board of Elections |
||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mark Walker |
60.1% | 18,849 | ||
| Phil Berger, Jr. | 39.9% | 12,527 | ||
| Total Votes | 31,376 | |||
| Source: 99% reporting, Results via Associated Press Note: Vote totals above are unofficial and will be updated once official totals are made available. |
||||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Phil Berger Jr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2014
Berger listed the following issues on his campaign website:[6]
| “ |
Ending Obamacare "When it comes to healthcare, he gets it – he understands Obamacare is a government infringement on constitutional liberties." Heather Higgins, president and CEO Independent Women's Voice Government Waste & Spending "Phil Berger, Jr. demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers of North Carolina." Grover Norquist, President Americans for Tax Reform First Amendment Second Amendment We don't need additional laws and regulations that prevent law-abiding Americans from possessing firearms. We should instead focus on enforcing existing laws while preserving the freedoms laid forth in our Constitution. That's what we've done in North Carolina and I was proud to advocate for passage of HB937, which was endorsed by the NRA and Grassroots NC. Life Government Accountability Education Immigration |
” |
| —Phil Berger, Jr., Phil Berger for Congress, "Issues," archived June 27, 2014 | ||
State supreme court judicial selection in North Carolina
- See also: Judicial selection in North Carolina
The seven justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court are chosen through partisan elections. Justices are elected to eight-year terms and must face re-election if they wish to serve again.[8]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a person must be licensed to practice law in North Carolina. There is a mandatory retirement age of 72 years.[9]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is elected by voters to serve in that capacity for an eight-year term.[10]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a successor to serve until the next general election which is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs. The governor must select an appointee from a list of three recommendations provided by the executive committee of the political party with which the vacating justice was affiliated.[11] An election is then held for a full eight-year term.[12][8]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
|
Candidate North Carolina Supreme Court |
Officeholder North Carolina Supreme Court |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Philip Berger Jr.," accessed April 5, 2021
- ↑ Roll Call, "Phil Berger Jr. to Announce Congressional Bid in North Carolina," archived November 21, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Associated Press, "2014 primary results," archived November 15, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "2014 runoff primary results," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina Secretary of State, "Candidate listing 2016," accessed August 4, 2021
- ↑ Phil Berger for Congress: "Issues," archived July 17, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | School of Government, "History of North Carolina Judicial Elections," August 2020
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Judicial Qualifications Summary," September 28, 2016
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: North Carolina," accessed September 20, 2021
- ↑ Ballotpedia Election Administration Legislation Tracker, "North Carolina S382," accessed December 19, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "North Carolina Constitution - Article IV," accessed September 20, 2021 (Section 19)
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina
State courts:
Supreme Court of North Carolina • North Carolina Court of Appeals • North Carolina Superior Courts • North Carolina District Courts
State resources:
Courts in North Carolina • North Carolina judicial elections • Judicial selection in North Carolina
